Wyoming’s Barrasso Says He’ll Wait And See On Embattled EPA Chief

Wyoming's U.S. Senator John Barrasso says he's waiting on a White House review on questions regarding Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt. Pruitt has been under the microscope amid expanded ethics investigations of his spending and possible perks he’s received. Three Republican senators criticized Pruitt on Sunday regarding the allegations.

On Monday, Barrasso, who is the chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, released this statement regarding Pruitt:

“Administrator Pruitt has accomplished key priorities as head of the EPA,” said Barrasso. “With the support of the president, he has been instrumental in returning the agency to its original mission. American workers are benefiting from his reversal of punishing regulations. I was able to share the positive impact of these efforts with the administrator on his recent trip to Wyoming coal country. Certain questions have been raised about internal operations of the agency and the administrator’s actions. The White House has indicated it has taken on a formal review of these questions. I will wait for the outcome of that process.”

The Associated Press reports that staff for the Republican-led House Oversight committee confirmed Monday it has expanded its review of Pruitt’s travel spending to include ethical questions surrounding his bargain $50-a-night rental of a Capitol Hill condo tied to a fossil fuels lobbyist.